Physical Danger
Becoming a garbage man is signing up for a life of serious peril. At roughly 30 deaths per 100,000 workers, the fatality rate for sanitation workers puts this job in the top ten most dangerous jobs in America. On average, more than 80 trash collectors die on-duty per year. Sure, there are almost 500,000 waste collection employees in the country, but who wants to be one of those 80?
Mostly, it’s a matter of staying out of the way of traffic. There are a lot of busy, impatient people out there with places to be and people to see. Unfortunately, in their haste to squeeze by the garbage truck blocking their way, guess which people they don’t see? Yup. The garbage man.
And if you manage not to get hit by traffic, you’re still exposed to so many hazardous substances over the years that there can be some serious health consequences. Chemical waste, diseased animals, broken glass. They all find their way into the trash at some point.
If you die, at least you’ll recoup some money in the form of death benefits from the government. Of course, you’ll be dead. So it’s a tough call.